24

By now everyone knows that Edgar is dead. Fan reaction was summed up on blogs4bauer by the epitaph “I loved making fun of you”. I see this move as part of an attempt by the producers to eliminate the more ridiculous parts of the show in an attempt to ensure that it continues for several more seasons.

Let’s face it. Right now the show is teetering on the edge of becoming a dark and violent version of Get Smart. Look at all the 24 clichés that we love to make fun of.

The annual “arrest Jack Bauer” episode.
The betting pool every season of who the mole in CTU is going to be.
The CTU director’s dysfunctional relative who always drops in on the worst day of the year.
Each season’s “Kim’s in danger” subplot.
The eternal battery in Jack’s cell phone, which also can get a signal at the bottom of a uranium mine in Uzbekistan.
The annual “Jack’s relationship can’t survive the demands of what he has to do to protect the nation” plotline.
This past couple of season’s “CTU office comes under attack” episode.
The annual “president’s wife creates problems” subplot

What will we see next, Jack getting his orders from the director under the cone of silence? Curtis hiding in a FedEx drop box?

Some things, like Jack never needing to take a drink of water or relive himself can be passed over; as can the fact that he can apparently travel from anywhere to anywhere in the greater LA metro area in the space of a commercial break. After all a teleplay is not a story, it is parts of a story positioned in such a way as to appear to be a story. There is a certain suspension of disbelief necessary to enjoy any work of fiction.

However, when a show is appreciated because it is a parody of itself it cannot last. A joke becomes less funny each time you hear it.

OK a 24 post wouldn’t be complete without a prediction so here is mine.

Robocop is a good guy. His selling classified information to industry was to establish his cover. The evidence that Jack Bauer uncovered was the icing on the cake. When Robo was kicked out of CTU he “made his bones” with the Great Conspiracy” and became a true insider. The Big Boss is the Evil Vice President. Robocop’s trying to blow up Jack was part of the cover. When Jack finds out he will forgive everything. In fact if Jack had known he would have gladly let himself be blown up.